Dust seal for adjoining railroad cars



Oct. 1, 1946. c. P. NELSON DUST SEAL FOR ADJ'OINING RAILROAD CARS Filed June 21, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 1, 1946. c. P. NELSON DUST SEAL FOR ADJOINING RAILROAD CARS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllllllllfllllil nlw1- HHIIIIIHI jug/22 57 Cfareizcefij /sarz Filed June 21, 1945 HIH " HIM. l

Oct. 1, 1946. c. NELSON DI JST SEAL FOR ADJOINING RAILROAD CARS Filed June 21, .1945 4 Sheets-Sheet s IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII FIFIAIII lllllilli.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII lIIIIIIIIlII/IIIIII/ C'Zar Oct. 1, 1946. Y c. P. NELSON DUST SEAL FOR ADJOINING RAILROAD CARS Filed.June 21, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 1, 1946 OFFICE nUsrr- SEAL iron ADJOININGRAILBQAD, CARS Clarence P-i Nelson, Chicago, Ill;

Application June; .21, 1945, Serial No. 600,711

- 8 Claims. 1-

'I'hepresent invention relates generally to dust seals. Moreparticularly. the; invention relates to that yp of dust seal which is applied to the outer abutting diaphragm plates of,a pair ofv adjoining vestibule variety railroad cars andseryes aslarmedium or instrumentality for preventing dustand other matter on the outside of the cars fromlpassing. between the. outer diaphragm plates andentering the ,car. Vestibules;

Ithas heretoforebeen proposed to utilize as a dustseallofcv this type, aonerpiece strip of rubber or, other dustand fluidlimper vious material and to-securev the strip, inplacecby clamping the sidemargins. thereof to the inner margins of the outer diaphragmplatesby way. of, metallic strips andfbolt's extending through; aligned holes in the strips the sidev marginsof the. dust strip and the inner mar insof the diaphragm plates. In practice it has. been found; that, a dust seal;in\. the,

form. of. a, one-piece: strip, is objectionable for severalireasons, eyenthough it"fulfillsitsintended purpose, Inl the, firstlplace such a seal' requires considerable time to, detach in connection with uncoupling ofjthe twocarsbecauseitlis necessary torelease oneoithe side, margins of the dust. strip" by, withdrawing the bolts. and metallic clamping strip. which. are, associated therewith. Secondly, such a;d'ust. seal has but a short life because repeated'strip.releasingoperations which are necessary during, servicing, and inspection of i thecarsresultintearing of, and other damage r to,,. the dust strip. 'I'hirdly,v complications arise when a different car is substitutedlfcr. oneof the two carsandit is found that the substitutedcar andv the other: can both have. dust v strips on their outer diaphragm. platesor it .isfound. that neither offthetwo cars. has adust strip attached to its outer diaphra m plate;

I The primary or, principal object, of the present invention is to provide a. dust seal; of the, type under consideration; which. is an improvement upon,and. eliminates the, deflections o f, previously desi nedidustl-seals, andis characterized by the. fact that it consists of apair of, complemental, normally side. by side; strip-sections, the inner. mar ins of; which, are permanently attached to th inner marginsof. the outerdiaphragm plates of; the, two. cars: and; the outer margins of which areprovid'ed; with quickly detachablev connecting means.v By providing adust seal of. the last menti'onedj character the. two sectionsroi the dust sealmay. be, readily. detached, or. disconnected when; it. isnecessary touncouple the two cars. and it" is. possiblein connection; with substitution: ofv a dif-e ferent' car for one of the two cars readily to coni nect the tWo st'rip-sections, provided that the. substitutedcanlike.thecar for which itis sub; stitllted; has a complementalstrip-section,

Another object. of the invention is to. provide a, dust seal; of the, last mentioned type and character in, which the quickly detachable. connecting means between the outer marginsof the stripseetions is in the f'ormfofa slide fastener arran ement; and the outer margins of the strip;- sections'haye outer and inner fiapswhichwhen the sealis in it operative positionas the resultof', the two complemental strip-sections" being connected" together: by the quickly detachable connectingmeans; are arranged'in-abutting relation and serve to protect such means against dust, rain and snow.

A further objector; the invention is to; provide a dust seal of' the aforementioned character in whichthe two complemental strip-sections are formed with longitudinally extending pleats in order that they 'aref'reeto stretch laterally when the two cars to-- which the seal is app1led'- travel around a curve,

A-stilrfurth'erobiect of the inventionis'to provide' a dust seal of the t-ypeunder consideration which is generally of ne w and-improved construction, maybe manufactured at a lowandreason able cost teflicien'tly and effectively-fulfills its intendedpurpose 7 and.- possesses comparatively long life:

Qther objects of the-invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present. dust seal willbe apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the severalinovel feaa tures= which are hereinafter set forth and are moreaparticularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof? In the drawingswhich accompany and form a part of this. specification ordisclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding: parts throughout the several views;

Eigure 1*. is a: fragmentary perspective showing a d-nsosealv embodying the; invention in openativegrelation; with the outer; abutting diaphragm: plates: of? a pairof; adjoining vestibule variety: railroadcars; I

Figure 2 is fragmentary perspective of one of, the: cars, aitcr it' has been uncoupled from theother-carand its strip-section has been'detached' or; disconnected from the complemental strip ect onnnzthefouter diaphragm plate of the othe railrioad cari; v

Figure 3, is; an enlarged horizontal section of the dust seal illustrating in detail the manner in 6 which the inner margins of the complemental strip-sections are permanently attached to the inner margins of the abutting diaphragm plates and the outer margins of the strip-sections are detachably connected together when the strip is in it operative position;

Figure l is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure is an enlarged horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail of the slide fastener arrangement constituting the quickly detachable connecting means between the outer margins of the two complemental strip-sections; and

Figure '7 is a section taken on the line 'l-'! of Figure 6 and showing in detail the construction and arrangement of the outer and inner flaps which are applied to the outer margin of the strip-sections and serve to cover the slide fastener arrangement and protect it against dust, rain and snow.

The dust seal which is shown in the drawings constitutes the preferred form or embodiment of the invention and is illustrated in connection with a pair of adjoining vestibule variety railroad cars C and C As hereinafter described more in detail the seal serves as a medium or instrumentality for preventing dust and other matter on the outside of the cars from infiltrating the joint between the cars and entering the car vestibules. The two cars are of standard or conventional design and construction and comprise bodies 0 having at the ends thereof wheel carrying trucks (not shown). The ends of the cars that are in abutting or adjoining relation ems body fixed or rigid frame structures 0 and buffer plates 0 and these, together with outer diaconnected or attached to the top and side members of the outer diaphragm plates.

As its parts or components the dust seal comprises a pair of co-mplemental strip-sections l8 and these are associated with the outer diaphragm plates 0 respectively, and are positioned in opposed or side by side relation when the two cars C and C are coupled together. Preferably the strip-sections it) are formed of heavy canvas or other flexible material which is chemically treated so that it is impervious to dust and fluid. As shown in the drawings, the two strip-sections are of inverted U-shaped contour and extend around and-lie within the inwardly extending flanges e on the top and side members of the outer diaphragm plates 0 The ends of the stripsections it are shown in the drawings as termiphragm plates c and accordion type diaphragms c define communicating vestibules 0 whereby passengers and railroad personnel ma walk from one car to the other. The outer diaphragm plates 0 abut against one another when the cars C and C are coupled together and consists of horizontally extending bottom members 0 horizontally extending top members 0 and vertically extending side members 0 They are supported by upper rod and spring assemblies 0 and lower rod and spring assemblies 0 so that they are inwardly yieldable in the direction of the car bodies 0. The upper assemblies 0 extend between the upper portions of the frame structures 0 and the top members c of the outer diaphragm plates c and the lower assemblies extend between the lower portions of the frame structures and the bottom members 0 of the diaphragm 4 plates, as shown in Figure 4. The vertically extending side members d et the diaphragm plates are disposed in laterally spaced relation and have their upper ends connected to the ends of the top members 0 and the lower ends thereof connected to the ends of the bottom members 0 as shown in Figure 2. The inner margins of the top members 0" and the side members 0 of the outer diaphragm plates 0 are provided with integral flanges e and these extend inwards at right angles to the plates and are of inverted U-shaped contour. The diaphragms 0 like the flanges 0 are of inverted U-shaped contour. They are V-shaped in cross section, as shown in Figures 3 and l, and are disposed directly inwards of the diaphragm plates 0 The inner margins of the diaphragms are suitably connected to the frame structures 0 and the outer margins of the diaphragms are nating adjacent the lower ends of the side members c of the diaphragm plates. If desired, however, the ends of the strip-sections may be extended so that they may be arranged in lapped relation on the buffer plates 0 of the two railroad cars. The strip-sections arefolded longitudinally to form full length pleats ll. The latter permit the strip-sections to stretch or expand laterally when the two cars C and C travel arounda curve. The corners of the pleats are preferably provided with longitudinal stitching l2 in order that the pleats tend to remain in their folded or pleated condition. The inner margins of the strip-sections ID are provided with double folds and have longitudinal stitching l3 in order to form three thickness hems I l. The latter fit flatly against the inner faces of the flanges c on the top and side members of the outer diaphragm plates 0 and are clamped permanently in place by way of metallic clamping strips l5 and bolts I6. The clamping strips I5 are disposed within, and shaped conformably to, the flanges 0 The shanks of the bolts 18 extend through aligned holes in the clamping strips it, the hems I 4 and the flanges 0 as shown in Figure 5. The hems M are interposed between the flanges and the clamping strips and are securely clamped in place when the nuts on the shanks of the bolts are fully tightened. It is contemplated that the inner margins of the stripsections ID will remain in permanently connected relation with the flanges 0 The strip-sections l0 are of such width that the dust seal as a whole is capable of expanding to the necessary extent to take care of sharp turns Without placing the canvas of which the strip-sections are formed under tension.

The outer margins of the strip-sections ID are longitudinally doubled back and stitched to form hems l! and are provided with quickly detachable connecting means whereby they may be connected together when the two cars C and C are coupled together. The quickly detachable connecting means is in the form of a slide type or variety fastener arrangement (zipper) and comprises a longitudinal series of equidistantly spaced fastening members [8 on one of the hems H, a longitudinal series of laterally'spaced coacting fastening members H) on the other hem I1, and a pair of slide members 28. The fastening members of each series are of conventional design or construction and have bifurcated inner ends in straddled relation withthe hem that is associated therewith. The outer ends of the fastening members have laterally extending lugs on one side thereof and lug receiving sockets or cavities on their other side. The slide members 20 are normally in associated relation with the two series of fasteningmembers and are adapted when slid in one direction to. bring the 'outer ends of the fastening "members of one series into interfitting or interlocked relation with the outer ends of the fastening members of the other series, and when slid in the opposite direction to separate the two series of fastening members. One of the'slide members is adapted to slide back and forthbetween the central'portion and one end of the two series of fastening 'members'and the other slide member is adapted to slide back and forth between the central portion and the other end of the two series of fastening members. The slide fastener arrangement is such that when the two slide, members are slid outwards and then downwards for the purpose of separating the two series of fastening members the end portions of the strip-sections it may be detached from one another. When the slide members are disposed at the central portions of the two series of fastening members the slide fastener arrangement is closed with the result that the outer margins of the two strip-sections iii are in connected relation throughout the length thereof and th dust seal as a whole seals the two outer diaphragm plates 0 so that dust and other matter on the outside of the two cars are prevented from passing into the vestibules 0 In order to protect the slide fastener arrangement constituting the quickly detachable connecting means between the outer margins of the strip-sections l0 against dust, rain and snow the outer margins of the strip-sections are provided with outer flaps 2i and inner flaps 22. The outer flaps 2| are in the form of longitudinally folded or doubled over strips of chemically treated canvas and are connected to the outer margins of the strip-sections by stitching 23. They extend lengthwise of the outer margins of the strip-sections l0 and are arranged so that their outer margins abut against each other when the slide fastener arrangement is in closed position wherein it serves to connect the two strip sections. The inner flaps 22, like the outer flaps 2|, are in the form of longitudi nally folded or doubled over strips of chemically treated canvas and extend lengthwise of the outer margins of the strip-sections l0. They are held in place by the stitching 23 and are arranged so that the outer margins thereof abut against one another when the two strip-sections are connected together as shown in Figure '7. When the two strip-sections l0 are connected together by the slide fastener arrangement the outer and inner flaps 2i and 22 cover the coacting fastening members It and IQ of the slide fastener arrangement and thus protect them against dust, rain and snow accumulating thereon.

When the two cars C and C are coupled together and the two longitudinally pleated stripsections I0 have the outer margins thereof in connected relation the dust seal as a whole seals the two outer diaphragm plates 0 against inflow into the vestibules of dust and other matter, as heretofore pointed out. When it is desired to uncouple the two cars for service, inspection, or other purposes, the outer margins of the two strip-sections i0 are disconnected by sliding the slide members 25 outwards and then downwards to the ends of thetwo series of fastening members on the hems ll. After so sliding the slide members the ends of the outer margins of the two strip-sections are separated. At the conclusion of this operation the two strip sections are completely disconnected and it is possible to uncouple and then separate the two cars.

'The herein described dust seal effectively and efiiciently fulfills its intended purpose and is characterized by the fact that the two stripsections thereof may be quickly'and readily disconnected when it is desired to uncouple the two cars with which the dust seal is associated. It is also characterized by the fact that it possesses long life and is capable of being manufactured.

or produced at a low cost. The slide fastener arrangement for connecting the two complemental strip-sections I0 is of the interchangeable variety and hence when one car is disconnected .or uncoupled from the other car another car may be coupled to the other car and a dust seal effected, provided that the said another car is provided with a strip-section which isa complement of the strip-section it on the said other car.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended "claims without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

- '1. A seal adapted to prevent infiltration of dust and fiuid impervious material, extending around the innermarginal portions of the top and side parts of the diaphragm plates, having certain of the side margins thereof connected to said marginal portions, respectively, and provided on the other side margins thereof with quickly and read ily releasable means for connecting them together.

2. A seal adapted to prevent infiltration of dust and other matter between the abutting framelike outer diaphragm plates of a pair of coupledtogether vestibule variety railroad cars and comprising a pair of complemental separately formed strip-sections of inverted U-shaped contour, formed of flexible, dust and fiuid impervious material, positioned in opposed relation, having certain of the side margins thereof connected, respectively, to the top and side parts of the diaphragm plates, and provided on the other side margins thereof with quickly and readily releas-' able means for connecting them together.

3. A seal adapted to prevent infiltration of dust and other matter between the abutting framelike outer diaphragm plates of a pair of coupledtogether vestibule variety railroad cars and comprising a pair of complemental separately formed strip-sections of inverted U-shaped contour, formed of flexible, dust and fluid impervious material, positioned in opposed relation, having certain of the side margins thereof connected, respectively, to the inner marginal portions of the top and side parts of the diaphragm plates, and

provided on the other side margins thereof with quickly and readily releasable means for connecting them together in a dust-tight manner.

4. A seal adapted to prevent infiltration of dust and other matter between the abutting framelike outer diaphragm plates of a pair of coupledtogether vestibule variety railroad cars and comprising a pair of complemental separately formed longitudinally pleated strip-sections of inverted U-shaped contour, formed of flexible dust and fluid impervious material, positioned in opposed relation, having certain of the side margins thereof connected to the top and side parts of the diaphragm plates, and provided on the other side margins thereof with quickly and readily releasable means for connecting them together.

5. A seal adapted to prevent infiltration of dust and other matter between the abutting framelike outer diaphragm plates of a pair of coupledtogether vestibule variety railroad cars and comprising a pair of complemental separately formed opposed longitudinally pleated strip-sections of inverted U-shaped contour, formed of flexible, dust and fluid impervious material, having certain of the side margins thereof connected, respectively, to the inner marginal portions of the top and side parts of the diaphragm plates, and provided on the other side margins thereof with quickly and readily releasable means for connecting them together in a dust-tight manner.

6. A seal adapted to prevent infiltration of dust and other matter between the abutting framelike outer diaphragm plates of a pair of coupledtogether vestibule variety railroad cars and comprising a pair of complemental separately formed opposed strip-sections formed of flexible, dust and fluid impervious material, extending around the inner marginal portions of the top and side parts of the diaphragm plates, having certain of the side margins thereof connected to said marginal portions, respectively, and provided on the other side margins thereof with quickly and read ily releasable means for connecting them together, and also with longitudinal substantially full length side flaps positioned in abutment with one another and in lapped relation with the connecting means.

7. A seal adapted to prevent infiltration of dust and other matter between the abutting framelike outer diaphragm plates of a pair of coupledtogether vestibule variety railroad cars and comprising a pair of complemental separatelyformed strip-sections of inverted U-shaped contour, formed of flexible, dust and fluid impervious material, positioned in opposed relation, having certain of the side margins thereof connected, respectively, to the top and side parts of the diaphragm plates, and provided on the other side margins thereof with quickly and readily releasable means for connecting them together, and also with inner and outer longitudinally extending substantially full length flaps positioned normally in abutment with one another and overlapped relation with the connecting means.

8. A seal adapted to prevent infiltration of dust and other matter between the abutting framelike outer diaphragm plates of a pair of coupled together vestibule variety railroad cars and comprising a pair of complemental separately formed opposed longitudinally pleated strip-sections of inverted U-shaped contour, formed of flexible, dust and fluid impervious material, having certain of the side margins thereof connected, respectively, to the inner marginal portions of the top and side parts of the diaphragm plates, and provided on the other side margins thereof with quickly and readily releasable means for connecting them together in a dust-tight manner, and also with longitudinally extending substantially full length side flaps positioned normally in abutment with one another and in lapped relation with the connecting means.

CLARENCE P. NELSON, 

